Reflections on life

On loving a child

About a month ago I awoke next to Breezy; she was still fast asleep. I stared at her for a very long time. She is a beauty. I thanked God, prayed for her health and safety, and then wondered how I could be so lucky to be this child’s Gigi.

Many of you regular readers know that Breezy and I share no blood, no DNA. She’s my only stepson’s daughter. He has a stepdaughter and a biological daughter. Families are blended more and more now. And Breezy’s family is very blended. She is fortunate to have five sets of grandparents. I say fortunate, because each set of grandparents adores her. She is a child who is very, very loved. I am one among many who adores this very special little girl.

On the day she was born, six years ago this week, I stood by her then almost five-year-old sister outside the big glass nursery window and we watched her cry. She was crying so hard her sister said, “She’s trying to sit up.” I laughed on the inside. That is what it looked like. That little belly was working hard. Breezy was trying to sit up on the day she was born and she’s never stopped being a little fighter.

A few months later she sat in her bouncy chair still exercising that belly. She’d work on pulling her socks off until she finally got her feet free. She still asks her mom, “Do I have to wear socks?”

She’s the littlest one on her softball team. She’s even smaller than the only four-year-old on the team. But she plays second base and she hustles to field the ball. She’s good at it too. She’s always softball-ready; she gets the ball in her little glove and her throws to first base are spot-on every time, even with that skinny little arm of hers.

I can’t imagine how I can love Breezy more today than I did the day she was born, but six years later the love just grows and grows. This is all new for me really.

I have two nephews that I got to see as infants. But they were born and raised in different parts of the country, so this little one is the only baby I ever watched grow on a regular basis from birth to six years old. It is an amazing blessing added to my life in my 50’s. I realize how much I missed out on by not having my own children, and am so grateful that I am getting to watch this little babe grow, change, and develop into a girl. We are blessed that our son came to live near us some years ago where he met the woman who would be his wife and daughter’s mother.

I enjoy each stage of her life so much, miss some of the cuteness and sweetness of her being so little, but get a real joy out of seeing how she learns and what she’s into as she moves to each new phase of growing up. She has a keen sense of humor and she makes me laugh constantly. She’s so smart and watching her learn and apply her knowledge in Pre-K and K has been a really terrific process for this lifetime educator.

My words fall so short in expressing my love and admiration for Miss Breezy. She and I, even with all her other grandparents, have a very special bond. I look forward to many, many years of life with Breezy. I pray daily that God blesses me with them.

My hope for you is that you have a child or two or three to love. There is simply nothing like it. Children are so very vulnerable. They need so much love. And yet, they have such a pure love to give.

Count it pure joy to love a child and to be loved in return.

Happy 6th Birthday, Breezy!!

Gigi

“Children make your life important.” — Erma Bombeck, American humorist